Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,286 per month in Kingston vs $1,014 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,230 per month in Kingston vs $1,596 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,173 per month in Kingston vs $2,178 in Medellin, rent included.

Kingston costs about 125% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kingston sits 70% above the global median, while Medellin is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.72 CA$22.91

$6.14 COP 22.2K

172.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.2 CA$102

$33.05 COP 119.3K

124.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.28 CA$15.46

$7.32 COP 26.4K

54.10%

Cappuccino

$3.69 CA$5.06

$1.66 COP 5,987

122.29%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.60

$1.10 COP 3,987

72.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$1.97

$0.78 COP 2,822

84.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.04 CA$8.28

$1.71 COP 6,188

253.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 CA$8.83

$3.17 COP 11.5K

103.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.58 CA$3.53

$1.11 COP 4,012

132.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 CA$3.47

$1.31 COP 4,719

93.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.17 CA$5.71

$1.38 COP 4,980

202.17%

Eggs

$2.91 CA$3.99

$2.22 COP 8,009

31.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.68 CA$14.63

$4.34 COP 15.7K

146.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.42 CA$15.64

$5.80 COP 20.9K

96.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.41 CA$15.63

$8.98 COP 32.4K

27.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 CA$4.87

$2.26 COP 8,164

57.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 CA$1.80

$1.11 COP 4,023

18.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.50

$1.46 COP 5,284

174.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.86 CA$6.66

$1.37 COP 4,929

254.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.85

$1.11 COP 4,009

218.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 CA$3.30

$1.16 COP 4,199

107.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 CA$4.07

$0.89 COP 3,211

233.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 CA$2.22

$0.87 COP 3,124

86.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.87 CA$19.00

$2.35 COP 8,495

490.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.45 CA$17.06

$10.86 COP 39.2K

14.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 CA$3.13

$1.20 COP 4,330

90.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 CA$4.53

$2.48 COP 8,946

33.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.52 CA$3.46

$0.79 COP 2,842

218.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.0 CA$79.5

$40.77 COP 147.2K

42.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 CA$4.48

$1.42 COP 5,137

130.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 CA$2.16

$1.91 COP 6,900

-17.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.56 CA$44.60

$7.65 COP 27.6K

325.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.49

$0.97 COP 3,490

11.34%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$24.6K CA$33.7K

$18.1K COP 65.3M

36.02%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.4K CA$29.3K

$26.3K COP 95.0M

-18.82%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$130 CA$178

$81.3 COP 293.5K

59.65%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$44.36 CA$60.8

$9.63 COP 34.8K

360.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.7 CA$108

$24.36 COP 88.0K

223.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.36 CA$44.33

$26.02 COP 93.9K

24.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.29 CA$12.73

$18.92 COP 68.3K

-50.90%

Cinema Ticket

$11.18 CA$15.32

$3.89 COP 14.0K

187.40%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$446 CA$611

$304 COP 1.1M

46.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.0K

$5,902 COP 21.3M

97.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.10 CA$63.2

$58.7 COP 211.8K

-21.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.95 CA$49.25

$32.48 COP 117.2K

10.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 CA$130

$102 COP 367.3K

-6.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.3 CA$126

$108 COP 390.4K

-14.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 CA$1,766

$474 COP 1.7M

171.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 CA$1,630

$371 COP 1.3M

220.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,130 CA$2,918

$848 COP 3.1M

151.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,679 CA$2,301

$716 COP 2.6M

134.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,450 CA$4,726

$2,871 COP 10.4M

20.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,513 CA$3,443

$1,375 COP 5.0M

82.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,086 CA$4,228

$542 COP 2.0M

469.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

13.43

-50.19%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kingston: April 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,289 in Kingston versus $474 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 470% higher in Kingston, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74 in Kingston versus $33 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $190 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Kingston vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,286 in Kingston, $1,014 in Medellin – roughly 125% apart. Kingston costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,429 per month in Kingston and $1,522 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,286 in Kingston and $1,014 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 42% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,014, than in Kingston at $2,286. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kingston it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,014 in Medellin to $2,286 in Kingston. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kingston makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.